The 7 Best Neroli Perfumes for When You Need an Instant Mood Boost

Just like with my clothes, I swap out my fragrance wardrobe with the seasons. The warmer months call for vibrant, uplifting citrus perfumes that are light, bright, and joy-inducing. A quick spritz of a bergamot, lemon, or mandarin scent gives me an instant mood boost, but there’s something about the best neroli perfumes that makes me feel like I’ll never be sad again (like ever).You’ve probably heard of neroli—it’s a verrrry popular perfume note—but do you know what it is? Neroli oil is extracted from blossoms that grow on bitter orange trees. It essentially smells like a citrusy-floral crossover that’s soapy soft, slightly sweet, and a tad bit bitter. Yep, neroli has range. That’s why team Cosmo is obsessed with wearing neroli perfumes. Just take a peek at some of our favorites below…Our favorite neroli perfumes, at a glanceFor never-ending bliss, add a neroli perfume (or two) to your fragrance lineup. You’ll be surprised by how a quick misting can turn a crappy day into the best day ever!Key features at a glanceKey notesNeroli, orange flower absolute, ylang-ylangSizes3.4 and 1.7 oz.Why we love it: You know the effervescent quality you get from cracking open a fresh can of sparkling orange soda? This bright, bubbly scent has the same effect—and it lingers all day long. The mix of slightly bitter neroli and fizzy bergamot gives this a soapy opening that becomes smoother and playfully fresh as honeyed orange blossom and creamy ylang-ylang peek through. Any time I spritz this, I feel like I’ve spent hours wandering through vibrant orange fields, even if I’m just in my dingy apartment.Key features at a glanceKey notesTunisian neroli, Italian bergamot, Sicilian lemonSizes1.7, 1, and 0.33 oz.Why we love it: Typically, it would take a 16 hour travel day for me to reach Portofino. With this perfume, the Italian Riviera is just a spritz away. With an uplifting citrusy combo of bergamot, yellow mandarin, lemon, and neroli, the scent perfectly captures the essence of an understated summer spent on the coast of Italy.Key features at a glanceKey notesBasil, neroli, white muskSizes3.4 oz.Why we love it: Most often, I see neroli paired with white florals and other citrus. This perfume shakes things up swirling the sparkling note with herby basil and soft musk, creating a sophisticated, invigorating aroma that’s green and fresh. I swear, it’s like they plucked basil and neroli directly from a garden and put them in the bottle—it’s that photorealistic.Add Cosmopolitan as a preferred source in your Google search results.Use your Google account to add this to your settings.Key features at a glanceKey notesNeroli, bitter orange, rosemarySizes3.3 oz. Why we love it: If you’ve ever wondered what every chic Italian person smells like, it’s most likely this lively citrus scent. Santa Maria Novella has been making perfumes since the 1200s, and while under-the-radar, this lively perfume is a total sleeper hit. A cocktail of Calabrian citrus notes—including bergamot, bitter orange, mandarin, and neroli—give way to a comforting and slightly spicy kick of rosemary before settling in a warm haze of musk and vanillic benzoin.Key features at a glanceKey notesNeroli, sandalwood, muskSizes0.5 oz.Why we love it: Neroli, like most citrus scents, smells delightful yet lacks longevity. (It’s because of perfume science—lighter notes simply fade faster!) That’s why it’s a good idea to keep a little perfume oil rollerball in your purse to re-up the refreshing scent. Not only is this one from CYKLAR adorable, but it does, in fact, feel like a mood boost in a bottle every time you swipe it on.Key features at a glanceKey notesNeroliSizes1.35 oz.Why we love it: Some things don’t need messed with—like pure neroli. As one of the most multifaceted notes in perfumery, neroli smells very bright and fresh, with a floral depth that’s daintily sweet with a touch of bitterness. Cool, right? Bvlgari decided to make this essence that features nothing but neroli. It’s made to layer with other scents to emphasize citrusy facets, but I like wearing it on its own because it creates a glowing aura around me.Key features at a glanceKey notesNeroli, orange blossom, cedarwoodSizes1.7 and 0.33 oz. Why we love it: Fun fact: Morocco is one of the lead producers of neroli. Kayali pays homage to the country, and more specifically, Marrakesh with this irresistible scent. It’s has a fruity, candy-like sweetness courtesy of orange blossom and neroli that feels like summertime bliss. It can be difficult to find sweet perfumes that wear nicely in high heat and humidity, yet this only gets better as the temperatures rise.Why trust Cosmopolitan?Mary Honkus is a beauty contributor for Cosmopolitan with over eight years of experience researching, writing, and editing beauty stories, including a guide to smelling expensive for cheap and a full deep dive on the most expensive note in perfumery. She is an authority in all beauty categories, but has a sweet spot for fragrance with a collection of over 300 scents. For this story, she scoured her collection and sniffed through dozens of fragrances to find the very best neroli perfumes.Mary Honkus is a freelance writer who covers beauty, home, fashion, health, and wellness (just call her a jack of all trades!). She has held staff roles at Real Simple, People, and InStyle, and her bylines can be found in numerous other publications. When she's not testing the latest and greatest products, she can be found chilling on her Hell's Kitchen rooftop, checking out NYC's hottest new restaurants, or recording her podcast Good Trouble NYC. Follow her on Instagram.